Colonel Darrell L. Hubbard is the Vice Commander of the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center, Tucson, Arizona. He leads a Total Force test center comprised of Reserve, National Guard, Active, Civilian, and government support contract personnel. The Test Center is responsible for operational test, developmental test and tactics development for all Air Reserve Component weapons systems. In his role, Col Hubbard advises the Commander, Air Force Reserve Command and Director, Air National Guard, on modernization, testing, and tactics development to increase combat capability in all Air Reserve Component weapons systems. This composite organization is composed of A-10, C-130H, F-15, F-16, HC-130, HH-60, KC-135 and MQ-9 aircraft, at four geographically separated units. The Test Center is also responsible for the modernization for Air Reserve Component’s Cyber, Space and Special Warfare Enterprises and the only maintenance and logistics test force in the United States Air Force.
After receiving his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 1994, Col Hubbard served twelve years on Active Duty before transitioning to the Michigan Air National Guard in 2006 and then the Air Force Reserve Command in 2009. He held a variety of assignments as an A/OA-10A & A-10C pilot performing Close Air Support, Combat Search and Rescue and Forward Air Controller-Air in peacetime and combat operations. Col Hubbard was an initial cadre A10C Instructor Pilot for the preparation of and the first ever combat deployment of the A-10C. He served in several positions in the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center (AATC), including standing up the A-10 Combined Test Force and acting as its first Director. While at AATC, he was the lead Program Manager for several programs including the low-cost Helmet Mounting Cueing System, Low Altitude Recovery System, Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System and developed tactics including covert light ground operations during Forward Area Rearm and Refuel Point operations. He is a command pilot with more than 4000 flying hours in the T-37, T-38, A/OA-10A, and A10C. He has flown combat sorties in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Sciences, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2004 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2005 Master of Business Administration, Troy State University, Ala.
2016 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1994–March 1995, OIC, Armament Flight, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
2. March 1995–November 1995, Commander, Maintenance Training Flight, 4th Logistics Support Squadron, SJAFB, N.C.
3. November 1995-May 1997, Sortie Generation/ Flt CC, Sortie Support Flt CC, 336th Fighter Squadron, SJAFB, N.C.
4. May 1997-July 1999 Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Oklahoma
5. July 1999–June 2000, Pilot, Life Support Officer, 25th Fighter Squadron, Osan AB, Korea
6. June 2000-March 2003, Pilot, Wing LSO, Chief of Training, 354th Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
7. March 2003-March 2006, Chief of Scheduling, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 357th FS, Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz.
8. March 2006-December 2006, Director of Full Mission Trainers, 355th Training Squadron, DMAFB, Ariz.
9. December 2006-April 2009, Flight Examiner, Chief of Training, 110th Operational Support Squadron, Kellogg ANGB, Mich.
10. April 2009-Feburary 2013, Chief A-10 Flight Test Operations, ANG and AFRC Test Center, Morris ANGB, Ariz.
11. February 2013-March 2017, Director A-10 Combined Test Force, ANG and AFRC Test Center, Morris ANGB, Ariz.
12. March 2017-October 2017, Formal Training instructor, 47th FS, Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz.
13. October 2017-January 2020, Commander, 924th Operational Support Flight, DMAFB, Ariz.
14. January 2020-May 2021, Formal Training Instructor, 357th Fighter Squadron, DMAFB, Ariz.
15. May 2021-Present, Vice Commander, ANG and AFRC Test Center, Morris ANGB, Ariz.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4000
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, A/OA-10, A-10C
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jun 1, 1994
First Lieutenant Jun 1, 1996
Captain Jun 1, 1998 Major Oct 1, 2004
Lieutenant Colonel Aug 20, 2010
Colonel Mar 1, 2021
(Current as of August 2021)